Our study on the (huge) variations in transformation rates is now out in OA! Key question: why are so many strains non-transformable if the many recent transitions to non-transformability seem deleterious? doi.org/10.1371/jour...

Intragenomic conflicts with plasmids and chromosomal mobile genetic elements drive the evolution of natural transformation within species

Bacterial species exhibit large variations in their transformation rates. This study of Legionella pneumophila and Acinetobacter baumannii shows that their transformation rates evolve by sudden quick ...